Suction cleaner conversion arrangement



Sept. 29, 1953 H. G. KUNKLER SUCTION CLEANER CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT Filed May 5. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY G. Kuuxun 5 W 2 nrro/a/vsv port cover locking member 94 carried by the bar 90 at one end thereof, a link 95 having one end 98 thereof working in a cam slot Hit in the bar 90, a lever I02 pivoted at one end I04 thereof to the body of the cleaner and pivotally connected at I 06 at the other end thereof to the link 96, and an arm I 08 having a floor engaging wheel II E) thereon. A pin II2 carried by the arm H38 projects through a slot I I4 provided in the lever I92. The link 96 is arranged for slidable movement in guides I I6 provided on the rear wall of the nozzle 35.

The arm I08 is pivoted on shaft E20. An overcenter spring H3 connected to the pin H2 and to a pin H on the cleaner body is arranged to hold the arm I08 and the wheel HQ in the position shown in Fig. 2 and in the position shown in Fig. 3, and also to expedite the shifting or movement of the wheel Hi] from one of its positions to the other. The parts shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are duplicated on the other side of the cleaner.

The arrangement of the foregoing parts of the nozzle elevating means is such that when the converter port cover locking member or button 94 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4, the wheels I iii will be shifted to the position as shown in Fig. 4 wherein they will project below the lower edge of the wheels 32 and in which projected position they will hold the nozzle 35 and the agitator therein out working relation with the surface covering.

A torsion spring I22 associated with the pivotal mounting of the converter port cover 65 on the cleaner biases such cover Ed to its open position so that when the button 94 is disengaged from the cover 64 the cover will move to its open position as shown in Fig. 4 so as to permit inser tion of the converter 66 into the port 52 as previously described, thereby to complete the con version of the cleaner for oif-the-floor cleaning purposes.

Upon removal of the converter element (56 from the port 62 and closure of the cover and upon locking the cover 64 closed by means of the button 9 1, the parts will be restored to the position as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the wheels IIG will be shifted to a position above the lower edge of the wheels 32 so that the cleaner may be used for on-the-floor cleaning operations. When the wheels Ilil are arranged as illustrated in Fig. 4, the cleaner will be supported at the front by the wheels iii] and at the rear by the wheels 34 so that the cleaner may be pulled forwardly on the floor at such time.

The springs II3 with the parts arranged as illustrated in Fig. 2 hold the wheels H9 in their inoperative or retracted position. As the wheels III] are shifted toward the position illustrated in Fig. 4, the springs H3 will, when the pin i I2 crosses the projection of the line between the centers of the shaft I26 and the pin H5, snap the wheels I It to the position as shown in Fig. 4. The pins IIZ cooperating with the ends of the slots H4 will limit the movement of the wheels III] in such direction. Similarly, upon restoration of the wheels I I0 to their retracted position the springs I I 3 will expedite such movement, and the pins II2 cooperating with the ends of the slots H4 will form a stop for the retracted position of the wheels.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself 4 of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner having a body with a nozzle at the forward end thereof, an agitator operatively associated with said nozzle, front and rear wheels supporting said body for movement on a surface covering with said nozzle and agitator operatively positioned relative to said surface covering, a suction creating fan, a motor for driving said fan, a suction air passageway between said fan and nozzle, a belt in said suction air passageway between said motor and agitator to operate the latter, said body having a converter port above said nozzle and connected to said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element to convert the cleaner for off-thefloor cleaning, a cover movably mounted on said body and arranged for closing or opening said port, nozzle elevating means movably mounted on said cleaner body and movable between a retracted position above the lower edge of said front wheels and a projected position below the lower edge of said front wheels, said means upon movement to said projected position elevating said nozzle and agitator to an inoperative position relative to said surface covering, a spring biasing said converter port cover to its open position, a movable locking member engageable with said converter port cover for securing the same in its closed position, means operably connecting said converter port cover locking member to said nozzle elevating means for shifting said nozzle elevating means from either of its said positions to the other upon and by movement of said converter port cover locking member, and an overcenter spring mechanism connected to said nozzle elevating means and operable for positioning said nozzle elevating means in either of its positions and for expediting movement of said means from either of its positions to the other.

2. A suction cleaner having a body with a nozzle at the forward end thereof, an agitator operatively associated with said nozzle, front and rear wheels supporting said body for movement on a surface covering with said nozzle and agitator operatively positioned relative to said surface covering, a suction creating fan, a motor for driving said fan and agitator, a suction air passageway between said fan and nozzle, said body having a converter port above said nozzle and connected to said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element to convert the cleaner for off-the-floor cleaning, a cover movably mounted on said body and arranged for closing or opening said port, nozzle elevating means movably mounted on said cleaner body and movable between a retracted position above the lower edge of said front wheels and a projected position below the lower edge of said front wheels, said means upon movement to said projected position elevating said nozzle and agitator to an inoperative position relative to said surface covering, a manually operable movable locking member engageable with said converter port cover for securing the same in its closed position, and means connecting said nozzle elevating means to said converter port cover looking member for movement therewith for effecting shifting movement of said nozzle elevating means from one of its said positions toward the other position thereof upon movement of said converter port cover locking member into and out of engagement with said converter port cover.

3. A suction cleaner according to claim 2 wherein said nozzle elevating means has an overcenter spring mechanism connected thereto, said overcenter spring mechanism being operable for positioning said nozzle elevating means in either of its positions and for expediting the shifting of said means from one of its positions to the other.

4. A suction cleaner having a body with a nozzle at the forward end thereof, an agitator operatively associated with said nozzle, front and rear wheels supporting said body for movement on a surface covering with said nozzle and agitator operatively positioned relative to said surface covering, a suction creating fan, a motor for driving said fan and agitator, a suction air passageway between said fan and nozzle, said body having a converter port above said nozzle and connected to said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element to convert the cleaner for off -the-floor cleaning, a cover movably mounted on said body and arranged for closing or openin said port, nozzle elevating means pivotally mounted on said cleaner body and adapted to be pivoted between a retracted position above the lower edge of said front wheels and a projected position below the lower edge of said front wheels, said means upon movement to said projected position elevating said nozzle and agitator to an inoperative position relative to said surface covering, a movable locking member slidably mounted on said body and detachably engageable with said converter port cover for securing the same in its closed position, and means including a link slidably supported on said body and connected to said converter port cover locking member and to said nozzle elevating means for effecting pivotal movement of said nozzle elevating means from one of said positions to the other upon movement of said converter port cover locking member into and out of engagement with said converter port cover.

5. A suction cleaner having a body with a nozzle at the forward end thereof, an agitator operatively associated with said nozzle, front and rear wheels supporting said body for movement on a surface covering with said nozzle and agitator operatively positioned relative to said surface covering, a suction creating fan, a motor for driving said fan and agitator, a suction air passageway between said fan and nozzle, said body having a converter port connected to said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element to convert the cleaner for off-the-floor cleaning, a cover movably mounted on said body and arranged for closing or opening said port, a wheel carried by an arm pivotally mounted on said cleaner body and movable between a retracted position above the lower edge of said front wheels and a projected position below the lower edge of said front wheels, said wheel forming part of a nozzle elevating means and being operable upon movement to said projected position to elevate said nozzle and agitator to an inoperative position relative to said surface covering, a movable looking member engageable with said converter port cover for securing the same in its closed position, and. a connection between said converter port cover locking member and said nozzle elevating means for shifting said nozzle elevating means to said projected position upon and by disengagement of said converter port cover locking member from said converter port cover, said connection including a slide bar having a cam surface thereon and a link connected to said arm and having a portion arranged to be engaged and moved by said cam surface upon movement of said slide bar.

6. A suction cleaner according to claim 5 wherein an overcenter spring mechanism is connected to said arm and is operable for positioning said wheel in either of its positions.

HARRY G. KUNKLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,980,205 Isola Nov. 13, 1934 2,174,595 Pierce Oct. 3, 1939 2,416,786 White Mar. 4, 1947 2,517,670 Humphrey Aug. 8, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 284,650 Germany June 2, 1915 326,421 Great Britain Mar. 13, 1930 

